Modular Vehicle Seating Assembly for Simplified JIT Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle seating assemblies require numerous parts and complex assembly sequences, making them inefficient and costly to produce, especially in Just-In-Time assembly processes where modular parts are sourced from various locations.
Innovation Solution
A modular vehicle seating assembly design featuring interchangeable seatback and seat modules with interference fits, cutaway portions for cushions, and tubular structures, allowing for simplified assembly and reduced part inventory, enabling efficient assembly and installation in vehicle assembly plants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional vehicle seating assemblies use hundreds of parts, then the seating assembly can be assembled into a final vehicle seating assembly, but the assembly process becomes inefficient and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The seating assembly is divided into modular components including a seat module with seat frame and seat foam member, and a seatback module with seatback frame and seatback foam members. These modules can be independently manufactured and assembled, reducing the number of parts that need to be managed in the final assembly process while maintaining the necessary functionality and complexity of the overall seating system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If modular parts are sourced from locations other than JIT final assembly facility, then sourcing flexibility is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seat connector and seatback connector are designed as universal interfaces that can accommodate different seat and seatback modules. The connectors include standardized features such as trenches and darts that work across multiple module variations, allowing parts to be sourced from different locations while maintaining consistent assembly procedures and reducing assembly complexity despite the modular architecture.
3Reliability
If interference fit with trench and dart arrangement is used, then the foam members are securely joined, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interference fit design incorporates trenches and darts at specific locations on the foam members to create localized joining points. Rather than requiring uniform precision across entire surfaces, the trench and dart arrangement concentrates the precision requirements to specific features that can be more easily controlled during manufacturing, while still providing secure joining through the localized interference fit at these critical points.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat having a seat frame and a seat foam member, a seat trim assembly disposed over the seat foam member, a seat connector, and a seatback. The seatback includes a seatback frame. First and second seatback foam members are disposed around the seatback frame. A seatback trim assembly is disposed over the first and second seatback foam members. A seatback connector is operably coupled to the seat connector.